invisible

Chapter Eighteen

“Hey, isn’t that Kim Chaewon?” asked a voice.

Both Chaewon and Hitomi looked at each other, shocked. They turned to the direction of the voice.

Everyone at the lounge was staring at them.

“It’s Kim Chaewon! I thought she’s been missing!” said a young lady. Her finger was pointing straight at Chaewon.

Chaewon gulped. She turned at Hitomi, confused.

“Th-They can see you?” asked the latter.

But Chaewon continue to stare at her, dumbfounded. After being invisible for more than a month, she’s now visible again? It was hard for her to believe. She had almost given up hope. But the eyes that were fixed on her and the whispers of her name across the reception area confirmed it.

They all can see her.

As she was still standing on the staircase, shocked, she saw one girl among the group of guest holding up her phone. And then, snap. She took a photo. And then a man raised up his phone took a photo as well, and then another person. Within seconds, Chaewon was being photographed without consent by half of the guests.

“St-Stop taking pictures!” Chaewon bursts.

But that doesn’t stop them.

“I said stop it!” she said, angry.

“Why-

Hitomi suddenly stepped in front of Chaewon, avoiding her from throwing her tantrum at them. She swiftly took Chaewon’s hand in hers and pressed it firmly.

“Let’s get back upstairs. They won’t stop,” she said.

Chaewon nodded and they hurried back the way they came, hand in hand.

It was captured on photos.

**

They both sat quietly in Hitomi’s room after fleeing from the mini paparazzi scene. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Chaewon glanced at Hitomi, hoping for her point of view. But Hitomi was just as puzzled as she was.

Just yesterday she was nothing to anyone and today everything had changed. And now it’s back to the way it was? Is she’s back to the days when fans and photographers following her around?

“Are they really able to see me?” she asked.

“Seems like it.”

“There’s one way to find out.”

She got up from the floor and grabbed the hand mirror on the desk. The first thing she wanted to do if she was back turned back to normal was to see herself.

Nervously she put the mirror in front of her face. Her eyes were still shut, anticipating. If she can’t see her own refection, it means that she was still invisible. And her hopes were crushed too often that she stopped checking the mirror. Could it be any different this time?

Slowly she opened her eyes and stared at the mirror in her hand.

Her eyes widen.

She saw her own face.

A lot had changed; she almost can’t recognize the girl in the mirror. She looked pale and she had lost quite some weight. She had no makeup, and was dressing humbly in clothes that was not from any designer boutique.

“Hitomi-ah…” she called.

The latter hurried to her side and saw the mirror. It reflected Chaewon’s face.

“Chaewon, you…”

The blonde girl turned around, and they were facing each other. The reality begins to sink in.

“I’m not invisible anymore.”

Hitomi mouth curled up, and she smiled, “Chaewon, you’re back to normal…”

“I am. Right?” asked Chaewon, still in disbelief.

Hitomi nodded, “Yes. Yes you are!”

Chaewon flung her arms around Hitomi’s neck and pulled her for a hug. The latter also wrapped her arms around her waist. They twirled together twice and then stopped before stumbling in the small room. But they were still embracing each other, tight. Tears were running down Chaewon’s cheeks, happy tears.

“I’m no longer invisible,” Chaewon said to Hitomi’s ear.

“I’m really happy for you,” replied Hitomi as she squeezed her tighter.

After a while, they broke the hug, but they were still holding each other’s hand. Both refusing to let go.

“It was all because of you,” said Chaewon.

“Thank you, Hitomi.”

Overwhelmed, Hitomi didn’t know what to say. Only tears were b in her eyes. Maybe she should just say what she was feeling.

She had decided.

It’s her turn to be honest.

“Chaewon, I-

She was interrupted by the knocks on the door.

“Hitomi, are you inside?” asked someone from outside. It was Yena’s voice.

“That’s Yena. What should we do?” asked Hitomi, worried.

Chaewon sighed, “Let’s open the door. After what happened downstairs, it’s not a secret anymore that I’m with you.”

“What should I say? It’s not easy to explain this.”

“Well-

“Hitomi, open the door! I know you’re not alone in there. I don’t know what’s going on! The guests are gossiping downstairs, it’s insane. You owe me a big explanation on what’s happening.”

Hitomi shook her head, “No one will believe that you’ve been invisible all along.”

“Don’t worry, leave the explaining part to me,” assured Chaewon.

“Also there’s someone here who wants to meet you and… Kim Chaewon,” added Yena from outside the door.

**

Ahn Yujin entered the room. She stood still by the door, with her eyes that shot straight at Chaewon. She was in disbelief.

“CHAEWON UNNIE!” she shrieked.

“Yujin-ah…”

Yujin marched straight to her and grabbed both her arms.

“Gosh unnie, where have you been? Look at you, you’re a mess!”

“You’ve lost weight, and your face is pale, gosh your skin…” she caressed Chaewon’s cheek with her right hand.

“What happened? Why did you simply go AWOL? In a crucial time like this?!” she asked continuously.

Before Chaewon was able to say anything, she turned to Hitomi.

“You said you would contact me if she’s back, but you didn’t. I only found out about her